Description
This Rotel Cheese Dip is a smooth, creamy, and mildly spiced cheese dip made with ground beef, mild Rotel tomatoes, salsa verde, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. It’s perfect for serving warm with tortilla chips, garnished with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce for an extra kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 10 oz. can MILD Rotel (with juices)
- ½ cup mild salsa verde
- 1 ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed
- 8 oz. full fat block cream cheese, cubed and very soft
- 2 cups freshly shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese (NOT SHARP)
For Serving
- Tortilla chips
- Diced tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Cook Beef: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s almost fully cooked through. Then add the flour and all the spices (chili powder, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper) and cook over medium heat for one minute to coat the meat and release the flavors.
- Add Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the entire can of mild Rotel with its juices, the mild salsa verde, and 1 ¼ cups of milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
- Make it Cheesy: Reduce the heat to low. Gradually stir in the cubed, very soft cream cheese and mix until it has fully melted into a smooth sauce. Next, add the shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly until the cheese is completely melted and the dip is creamy.
- Adjust and Serve: Taste the dip and adjust seasoning with additional hot sauce or cayenne pepper and/or salt as desired. If the dip is too thick, thin it with a little more milk to reach your preferred consistency. Serve warm alongside tortilla chips and garnish with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro. For best results, keep the dip warm in a crockpot on the warm setting during serving.
Notes
- Use MILD Rotel and do not drain it to keep the dip balanced and creamy. If you prefer spicy, omit the cayenne pepper and add heat to taste.
- Avoid sharp cheddar cheese for this dip because its lower moisture content causes a grainy texture rather than smooth melting.
- Make sure the cream cheese is very soft before adding to the dip. Cube and warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then in 10-second increments until almost melty to prevent lumps.
- This recipe serves about 10 people, ideal for gatherings and parties.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 recipe
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
